Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue and Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening small businesses and the agricultural economies in rural America. They signed the …
Spending Plan Approved for Agricultural Equipment
After six months of negotiation, the California Air Resources Board approved a spending plan for agricultural equipment at a recent hearing in Riverside. The $135 million in funding will relieve …
Conaway Says Democrats Wrong to Oppose SNAP Changes
House Ag Committee Chair Mike Conaway says Democrats are not accurately portraying the changes he’s proposing to overhaul the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program(SNAP). Politico quotes Conaway as saying that Democrats …
USDA Announces $8.4 Million to Support Veterans and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers
USDA Announces $8.4 Million to Support Veterans and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of Partnerships & Public Engagement (OPPE) today announced up to …
Perdue Applauds Fire Funding Fix in Omnibus
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue expressed his appreciation for the work of Congress to find a bipartisan fix for the way the U.S. Forest Service is funded for fighting …
Broadband Investment and Section 199A Tax Code Fix in Omnibus Applauded by Perdue
Broadband: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue applauded the robust investment of $600 million in rural broadband for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which was included in the FY …
USDA Provides Funds to Protect Agriculture and Plants from Pests and Diseases
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach announced that USDA is allocating almost $70 million from Section 10007 of the 2014 Farm Bill …
Appropriations Bill Agreed Upon by Congress, Contains Section 199A “Fix”
The Hagstrom Report says congressional leaders have agreed on an omnibus appropriations bill to fund the government through September 30. It passed a House vote, 256-167, and is expected to …
UCR Researchers Receive Grant to Improve Pollinator Health
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research award will identify best management practices to protect bees A team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside, have received a $490,000 Pollinator Health …
Early Stage Ag Tech Investments Up 29 Percent
Investments in the early stages of agricultural technology in 2017 increased 29 percent, compared to 2016. AgFunder, a self-proclaimed online investment marketplace for agricultural technology, reports early stage investment in …
USDA Announces More Local Control for School Meal Operations
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Steve Censky announced two new efforts to provide states and school districts with additional flexibility and support to operate more efficient school meal …
What the Budget Bill Means for Farmers and Ranchers
The disaster assistance spending measure has been watched carefully by producers who were hit hard by natural disasters. Producers in California, Florida, Texas, and even Puerto Rico lost crops and …
Ag Committee Leaders Praise Bipartisan Budget Act
Senate Ag Committee Chair Pat Roberts says the Bipartisan Budget Act passed in both chambers of Congress benefits Americans in many ways. It avoids a government shutdown, raises military funding, …
USDA/NIFA Announces Support for Veterinary Medical Loan Repayment
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced the availability of funding to help eligible veterinarians offset a significant portion of the debt …